Work Progresses on El Paso Streetcar Rehabilitation

By Armando Landin
 
The vehicles that will be used for the upcoming streetcar project, currently under construction, will use the same bodies as those seen on city streets decades ago in El Paso.

The color scheme El Pasoans will see on streetcars once they make their return to Downtown streets in late 2018. (CRRMA)

And now we're getting a peek at the rehabilitation process for those streetcars taking place thousands of miles away.

Traffic Alert: Downtown Lane Closures Will Affect I-10 Exits

Lane closures necessary for work related to the streetcar project in Downtown El Paso may cause backup on Interstate 10 exit ramps in coming weeks.

Officials with the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authorith (CRRMA) are encouraging drivers to seek alternate routes.

Yandell Drive will be reduced to one westbound lane at Stanton Street beginning Monday, April 4, 2016, just one block away from merging traffic using the westbound Mesa Street exit at Downtown. This may have the biggest impact on commuters as actual lane reduction may begin two blocks before the actual closure.

First Look: Sun Metro Streetcar Facility

Maintenance & Storage Building to Sit at Downtown Transfer Center Site

Streetcars that are part of the future El Paso mass transit line will have a home at the Downtown Transfer Center property, according to a recently revealed rendering and floorplan. The maintenance and storage facility will be located in the southeastern corner of the site, which sits on Santa Fe Street between 3rd Avenue and 4th Avenue.

Rendering of what the streetcar maintenance and storage facility may look like once completed on Santa Fe Street in Downtown El Paso. (CRRMA)

Plans show a proposed 19,122 square foot building that will have some office space but which will mainly be used to store and maintain El Paso’s streetcars. Two pits will be located underneath a pair of tracks in the middle of the structure, allowing maintenance workers to view and access the underside of each trolley.

Weekly Edition, Issue 63

The Weekly Edition, Issue 63 has arrived! Take a look at the newest issue of our Weekly Edition, by clicking HERE. (Note: The newsletter will open in PDF format.)

In this edition:

• First Look: Sun Metro Streetcar Facility
• Infill Project to Bring Apartment Building to Magoffin Neighborhood
• City Selects Four Pedestrian/Bicycle Enhancement Projects for Funding Request

>>> GO TO THE WEEKLY EDITION <<<

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Closer Look: Newly Funded Transportation Projects

Transportation Commission Approves $97M for Streetcars

The Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) approved a minute order last week that green-lights funding for two large transportation projects in El Paso, including the long-awaited streetcar project slated for the Downtown/University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) areas.

A rusting streetcar sits on El Paso International Airport land in this 2008 photograph. (Historic Trolley Streetcar Initiative Report)

The TTC approved $97 million for the streetcar project as a “regional multimodal” development, serving the I-10 “congested corridor.” The funding will support construction of 4.8 miles of track that will transport riders from Downtown El Paso, including areas near the ports of entry, to UTEP and the nearby Cincinnati entertainment district.

According to the TTC’s Unified Transportation Program update, the streetcar line will include 27 stops. The route, as chosen by City Council, will travel north on Oregon Street, turn east on Glory Road, and then back south on Stanton Street. A circulator will also travel in a loop around Downtown El Paso’s core. New funding is also intended to cover vehicle maintenance and storage facilities.

Downtown Streetcar Project May Receive Funding This Week

The $97 million Dowtown/UTEP streetcar project could break ground as soon as August if the Texas Transportation Commission approves funding.

Continue Reading >>

A vision of what Oregon Street could look like with a streetcar system, from Plan El Paso. (planelpaso.org)

Fading Funding

Project Dollars in Question

Some El Paso development and transportation projects may be in danger due to reversed or unrealized state funding. Four high profile projects have recently been delayed or endangered due to state tax dollars that have been reallocated or simply haven’t materialized.

Bike Share Program

Earlier this month, local officials were dealt a blow when the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) decided not to provide state funding for a city bike sharing program. The City of El Paso and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) had already approved funds to go toward the program which would create a fleet of bicycles that residents of central and downtown El Paso could rent and use.

City Opts for Restored Streetcars

City Council has voted to restore El Paso's old streetcars instead of purchasing brand new replica streetcars for the upcoming trolley project that will run from Downtown to UTEP and back. The City also decided at the September 11, 2012 Council meeting to shorten the northern limit to Glory Road and nix the option to run the line further north to the Mesita Elementary School area.

Former El Paso streetcars that may be restored.

The City will use the savings from the shortened route to improve the pedestrian experience along the corridor and to help pay for the more expensive restored streetcars. The contract with URS Corporation was also expanded to include all engineering and design services needed for the project.

Proposed Streetcar Route

Read more about the use of restored streetcars at the Living El Paso blog here:
PCC Streetcars in El Paso…What are they like?

Previously:
Council Chooses Streetcar Route
Council to Choose Trolley Route
Trolley Project Could Get $90M in TxDOT Funds
Push for Trolley System Re-Emerges

City to Hold Community Meetings on Streetcar Project

The City of El Paso will hold two community meetings this month to get public input on the upcoming $90 Million streetcar project slated to run from Downtown El Paso to UTEP. The City will also use the meetings to clear up any questions the public may have on the route, impact, and general timeline for the proposed line.

Proposed Streetcar Route

The meetings will take place as follows:

Tuesday July 17, 2012 6 to 8 p.m.
Union Plaza Transit Terminal
400 W. San Antonio

Thursday July 19, 2012 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
El Paso Community College - Rio Grande Campus
100 W. Rio Grande
Conference Room A-119

For more information on the streetcar project, read our previous posts here:
Council Chooses Streetcar Route
Trolley Project Could Get $90M in TxDOT Funds

Thanks to Peter Svarzbein, creator of The El Paso Transnational Trolley Project, for the information on the meetings. Visit the website here: http://elpasotransnationaltrolley.tumblr.com/

Council Chooses Streetcar Route

A new streetcar route was chosen by City Council at its June 5, 2012 meeting. The new route creates a narrow loop for the future El Paso streetcar route which will use both Oregon and Stanton streets to connect Downtown and the UTEP area. The streetcars will travel north on Oregon Street, turn east at Glory Road/Baltimore, then south on Stanton Street. A downtown loop will travel east on Franklin Avenue, south on Kansas Street, west on Father Rahm, and north on Santa Fe Street.

The two-block-wide route allows the city to expand the streetcar's economic development footprint, and should help foster development along Oregon, Mesa, and Stanton streets. The route also runs through popular pedestrian areas such as UTEP, Cincinnati, EPCC's Rio Grande Campus, Downtown, Union Plaza, Segundo Barrio, the downtown international bridges, and the Convention Center.

Downtown Loop

The choice of the preferred route now allows the environmental and engineering assessment to move forward, which must be completed by the end of September to ensure up to $90M in state funding for the construction project. No word yet on how the trolley route will affect the planned Bus Rapid Transit route slated for Oregon Street.



Previously:
Council to Choose Trolley Route
Trolley Project Could Get $90M in TxDOT Funds
Push for Trolley System Re-Emerges

Council to Choose Trolley Route

Update:
City Council has postponed the agenda item and it will now be heard at the June 5, 2012 meeting.

Original Post:
The City could choose the new Downtown to UTEP streetcar route at the upcoming May 29, 2012 Council meeting. URS Corporation, the firm previously chosen to complete the environmental and engineering phases of the new streetcar route, will present what it feels is the optimal route based on previous El Paso streetcar studies.

Route options include:

1. Mesa/Oregon - The trolley would travel north on Mesa, turn west on Glory Road, and travel south on Oregon to Downtown.
2. Mesa/Stanton - North on Stanton, west on Glory Road, south on Oregon, east on Cincinnati, and south on Mesa to Downtown, then switching to south on Oregon to the Santa Fe bridge.
3. Oregon Only - The majority of the route would travel north and south on Oregon.
4. Mesa Only - The majority of the route would travel north and south on Mesa.
5. (Alternative) Stanton Only - The City has mentioned using Stanton for the route. Oregon is currently being readied for the Bus Rapid Transit system, and the City has spent millions revamping the street. Stanton would benefit from the streetcar route because it would allow the City to reconstruct it entirely. This route is not mentioned in the previous study.

The environmental study must be completed by the end of September 2012 in order to qualify for $90M in fund from the Texas Department of Transportation.

Previously - Trolley Project Could Get $90M in TxDOT Funds: http://elpasodevnews.blogspot.com/2012/05/trolley-project-could-get-90m-in-txdot.html

Cambridge Systematics Rail Study (Large PDF): http://50.22.88.223/~epmpo/Rail/RailTransitStudy.pdf

Trolley Project Could Get $90M in TxDOT Funds

Latest Update: City Council has approved $1.2 Million for the environmental study, which must be completed by the end of September.

Previous Update: El Paso Inc. is also reporting on this story. El Pasoan Ted Houghton, chair of the Texas Transportation Commission, cannot speak in detail about the project until the environmental project is complete, but states that he is a fan of the idea. The story also indicates that El Paso's trolley system had 63 miles of tracks, 100 streetcars, and 17 routes at its peak many decades ago.

El Paso Inc. article: http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/local_news/article_7a035396-9af2-11e1-a30c-001a4bcf6878.html

Original Post:
According to an upcoming City Council agenda item, the Texas Department of Transportation could give the city $90 Million in state funds to complete the Downtown to UTEP trolley project that City officials have been wishing for for years. The funding is contingent upon the City approving $4 Million for the environmental study and design process for the rail line, which is set for a vote at the May 15, 2012 City Council meeting. Details first came to light in a story at KVIA.com.

This study route uses both Stanton and Mesa Streets.

The environmental study must be completed by September 31, 2012, and the design must be completed by February of 2013. The trolley route the city is focusing on would utilize Stanton and Kansas Streets, and would travel from the Santa Fe bridge to the UTEP/Cincinnati district. A Bus-Rapid-Transit route is already planned for the Oregon Street corridor and may be why the City is looking to Stanton for the streetcar project.

Oregon Corridor concept in Plan El Paso.

A study funded by the City a few years back has shown that a trolley could show up to a 11 to 1 return on investment, despite the high cost per mile for construction and maintenance. Streetcar systems in other cities have shown to increase positive perception from tourists and can easily transform the corridors they serve.

Previously: Push for Trolley System Re-Emerges

City Council Agenda item to approve environmental study (PDF): http://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_clerk/agenda/05-15-12/05151210.pdf
KVIA Story: http://www.kvia.com/news/31045299/detail.html
Cambridge Systematics Study: http://50.22.88.223/~epmpo/Rail/RailTransitStudy.pdf